Excavating-machine.



C. B. STAHL.

EXCAVATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 19,1913.

Patented Aug. 25, 1914,

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EXCAVATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 19,1913v Patented Aug. 25, 19%

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EXCAVATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 19, m2

Patented Aug. 25, 1914,

5 SHEETS 9HEET 3.

CL (1 r C. E. STAHL.

EXGAVATING MACHINE.

APPLIGATIvN FILED MAY 19,1913

Patented Aug. 25, 1914.

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C. E. STAHL.

EXCAVATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY19,1913.

Patented Aug. 25, 191L 5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

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C2 C2- Q4 UNITED STA F E rATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. STAHL, OF HARTFORD CITY, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR. T0 JACOB B.STAHL, 0F

HARTFORD CITY, INDIANA.

EXCAVATING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 25, 1914.

Application filed May 19, 1913. Serial No. 768,482.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES E. STAHL, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Hartford City, county ofBlackford, and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Excavating-Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in excavating machines and moreparticularly to that class thereof designed for use in the digging of atrench or ditch.

The object of my invention is the production of an excavator of thecharacter mentioned which will be of durable and economical constructionand eflicient in operation.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

With these objects in view my invention consists in the combinations andarrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings forming a part of this specification, and in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an excavating machine embodying myinvention, Fig. 2 is'a top plan view thereof with the beam whichsupports the endless chain carrying the digging members, omitted, Fig. 3is a rear elevation of the machine, the shoe which supports the lowerend of the excavator beam being shown partly in sec tion to betterillustrate the construction thereof, Fig. 4 is an enlarged substantiallycentral, vertical section of the rearward end portion of the machine,Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the swiugingly mounted arm which carriesthe excavator beam. detached. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of said arm.Fig. 7 is a detail central section of the shoe which supports the lowerend of the beam. Fig. 8 is a transverse section taken on line .r-.r ofFig. 7. Fig. 9 is a top plan view of the construction shown in Fig. 7,and Fig. 10 is a rear elevation of the construction which deflects theexcavations discharged from the digging members to either side of thetrench and which confines said excavations in piles extending parallelwith the Sides of the trench.

The preferred form of construction as illustrated in the drawingscomprises a supporting frame 1 mounted upon wheels 2 and 3. The wheels 2are mounted for oscillation in order to adapt the same for use insteering the machine, said wheels being connected by chains 4 with aconventional steering mechanism which maybe manually operated throughthe medium of the hand wheel 5. At the front end of the frame 1 18supported a motor 6 of any approved design.

Mounted in suitable bearings provided at the rearward end of the frame 1is a transversely extending shaft 7. Having its forward end pivotallyconnected with the shaft 7 is a rearwardly extending arm 8 of aconstruction as clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Mounted in bearings 9'provided at the rearward free end of the arm 8 is a trans verselyextending shaft 9 upon which is mounted intermediate its extremities abeam 10,' said beam being of such a length that, when the excavator isin use the lower end of said beam will be adapted to project into theground. Mounted for travel around the lower end portion of the beam 10is an endless sprocket chain 11 which passes around a sprocket wheel 12fixed to the shaft 9 and a sprocket chain 13 mounted upon a shaft 14which is provided at the lower end of said beam 10. Spaced at intervalsuponthe chain 11 are digging members or buckets 15 which cooperate withplates 16v secured to said chain to form compartments or buckets for theconveyance of excavations during the operation of the machine. Theparticular construction of these digging members is not important inthis connection, the same being made the subject matter of a companionapplication filed by myself for digging mechanism for excavators. on May19, 1913, Serial No. 768,481. Said digging members, however, are soarranged that when the same reach their upper terminals of movement oras the same are passing around the sprocket wheel 12 said buckets willhe moved to discharging position. as clearly shown in Fig. 1 and thecontents thereof scraped therefrom by scraper plates 17. as clearlyshown in Fig. 2.

Arranged directly below the point at which the buckets 15 are moved todischarging position is an upwardly tapering de fleeting member 18 uponwhich, when the buckets are dumped. the contents thereof will drop andhe deflected to both sidesof the trench which is in the course of forma-The excavator beam 10, during the operation of the machine, .is tiltedabout the shaft 9 in adjusting the same to cut a trench of'-'- anydesired depth, it being clear that the more nearly vertical said arm isdisposed the deeper will be the trench cut thereby, and conversely, themore nearly horizontal said beam is disposed the more shallow will bethe trench formed thereby. Said beam after being tiltably adjusted tothe position desired is locked in its position of adjustment by means ofbrace rods 23 pivoted at their lower ends as at 22 to the arm 8. Theupper ends of the brace rods 23 slidably engage sleeves 24 carried atthe up er end of the beam 10 between the para el upper end ortions ofthe bars which comprise said am. The sleeves 24 are pivotally secured inposition by a bolt 25 passing throu h the same, the brace rods 23 beingprovided with elongated .slots as shown to afl'ord clearance for saidbolt. A nut 26 threaded upon the bolt 25 cooperates therewith inclamping the brace rods 23 against slidin movement in the sleeves 24,the lockin o the upper end portions of said brace r0 s in said sleevesserving evidently to lock the excavator beam against tilting movementrelative to the arm 8.

Arranged rearwardly of the beam 10 extending parallel therewith are bars27 rigidly connected with the beam 10 by bars 28, said bars 28 togetherwith the members of beam 10 at the points where the same intersect orregister with the chain 11 being offset or formed with outwardlyprojecting loops in order to permit of the passage of the diggingmembers 15. Rigidly secured to the lower ends of the bars 27 man endmember 29 provided at its opposite sides with rearwardly turned engagingflanges 30 which slidably engage the outwardly extending edges offlanges 31 of a plate 32. The lower end of the plate 32 is fulcrumed at33 to a shoe 34 which is adapted to slide upon the bottom of the trenchcut by the excavator when in operation, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.Having its lower extremity connected at 35 with the upper free end ofthe member 32 is a cord or cable 36. The cord 36 passes downwardly fromthe point 35 around a channel pulley 37 mounted at the lower end of themember 29 and thence. upwardly over a pulley38 mounted between the bars27 adjacent said member 29. From the pulley 38 said cord passes upwardlyalong the bars 27, over guide pulleys 39, around the upper extremity ofthe excavator beam 10, and thence downwardly to connect with a drum 40which is fixed to a transversely extending shaft 41 mounted in bearings42 provided upon the arm 8. With this arrangement it will be seen that abight will be formed in the cord 36 between the point 35 and the pulley38, the pulley 37 resting in this bight, and that the lower end of thebars 27 and hence the excavator beam will be supported by said bight andtherefore indirectly by the shoe 34. Also, it will be observed that thecon structionis such that by windin .or unwinding the cord 36 upon orfrom t e drum 40 this bight ma be lengthened or contracted to verticallyadjust the excavator beam. With this arrangement then, in the use of theexcavator after an approximate adjustment of the excavator beam throughtilting thereof as above mentioned, the same may be minutely adjusted inorder to secure the cutting of a trench of the exact depth desiredthrough manipulation of the cord or flexible element 36, such adjustmentof the latter being, of course, secured through rotation of the drum 40.Rotation of the drum 40 as mentioned is secured through the medium of aworm wheel 43 which is fixed to the shaft 41, said worm wheel mesh ingwith a worm 44 which is carried by the shaft 45 mounted in the bearings46 provided upon the arm 8. The rearward end of the shaft 45 carries abevel gear 47 which meshes with bevel gears 48 and 4.8 loosely, mountedupon the shaft 7. A manually operable double clutch 49 splined to theshaft 7 cooperates with the bevel gears 48 and 48' to secure rotation ofthe bevel gear 47 and hence of the drum 40 which is operativelyconnected therewith in either direction. The shaft 7 is also operativelyconnected with the shaft 9 to' effect driving of the excavator chain 11by means of a sprocket chain 50 which travels around sprocket wheels 51and 52 provided respectively upon said shafts 7 and 9. A suitablemanually operable clutch 53 cooperates with the sprocket wheel 51 forconnecting the same with the shaft 7, the excavating mechanism throughthe employment of this clutch being adapted to be disconnected from theshaft 7 to permit of rotation of the latter without affecting saidexcavating mechanism.

The shaft 7 is connected for driving by the motor 6 through the mediumof an endless belt 54 which travels around a pulley 55 provided at oneend of said shaft 7 and also around a pulley 56 which is fixed to atransversely extending shaft 57 mounted in the frame 1 adjacent thefront end thereof. The shaft 57 is connected with a longitudinallyextending shaft .58 by means of bevel gears 59 loosely mounted upon theshaft 57 which mesh with a bevel gear 60 provided upon the shaft 58. Adouble clutch member 61 cooperates with the bevel gears 59 tooperatively connect either one 0 said gears with the shaft 57 in orderto secure rotation thereof in either direction. A manuall shiftableclutch 61' operatively connects t e forward end of the shaft 58 with thepower shaft 62 of the motor 6. Through the connection described theshaft 7 W111 be driven by the motor 6 at a comparatively high rate ofspeed, this speed being too great for the di iving of the excavatorchain when in operation. This speed, however, is utilized in thepropulsion of the machine over the ground in transportin the same fromplace to place or when moving the machine over the ground with thedigging mechanism inoperative. With this in view, the transverselyextending shaft 63 mounted in the frame 1 which is operatively connectedwith the rear axle 3' through sprocket chains 64 and cooperatingsprocket wheels 65 and 66 is operatively connected with the shaft 7through meshing gears 67 and 68, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. A manuallyoperable clutch 69 splined to the shaft 7 serves to connect the gear 68with said shaft, said gear, when said clutch is disconnected therefromrunning free upon said shaft. In order to drive the shaft 7 at a lowerrate of speed or at a speed which may be utilized in driving theexcavator chain 11 and in gradually advancing the machine during theexcavating operation, a friction wheel 70 is employed which contactswith the periphery of the pulley 56. The friction wheel 70 is mountedupon a transversely extending shaft 71 mounted in bearings provided uponthe frame 1, said shaft 71 being connected through the medium of asprocket chain 73 and cooperating sprocket wheels with a transverselyextending shaft 72 also mounted in bearings provided upon the frame 1.The shaft 72 is connected ith a transversely extending shaft 74correspondingly mounted in the frame 1 and positioned rearwardly of saidshaft 72 by means of meshing gears 75 and 76. Splined to the shaft 74 isa gear 77 which is adapted to mesh with the gear 76, as shown. Asuitable manually operable switching fork 78 coiiperates with the gear77 to move the same into or out of mesh with the gear 67. With thisarrangement then, it

will be seen that, a connection is established between the shafts 57 and63 through a train of reducing gearing whereby the shaft 63 will berotated at a comparatively low rate of speed or at a rate of speedsuitable for the excavator chain 11 and gradually advancing orpropelling the excavator as the excavation proceeds. During theoperation of the machine or when the mechanism is driven through thegear last described the belt 54 will, of course, be disengaged from thepulley 55. When the excavator is not in use and is being propelled alongthe ground from place to place the gear 77 will be moved by the shiftingfork 78 out of mesh with gear 67, the clutch 49 being moved to neutralposition and the clutch 53 to ino erative position or to disengage thesproc et wheel 51 from the shaft 7. This being done, the motor 6 will beconnected only with the traction wheels 3, the excavating mechanismremaining inert.

Arranged behind the excavator proper at a suitable distance is a pair ofvertically disposed plates 7 9 connected by cross bars 80 so that therearward ends thereof converge to' correspond substantially with thewidth of the trench cut by the machine when in operation, the forwardends of said plates 79 diverging to such an extent as to traverse a pathof a width greater than the space between the plates 20. Said plates 79are carried by wheels or trucks 81 and the same are connected by chains82 with the excavating machine as shown. With this arrangement, upon theoperation of the excavator, the elongated piles of excavations which aredeposited upon the ground in lines extending parallel with the edges ofthe trench formed will be engaged by the plates 79 and deflected intothe trench as will be readily understood. The members 79 are used onlywhere the machine is employed in the formation of a trench or ditch fortiling and will, of course, be spaced behind the excavator a distancesuflicient to allow for the insertion of the tiling into the trench orditch before said plates operate to refill the trench or ditch.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form ofconstruction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable ofvariation and modification without departing from the spirit of theinvention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precisedetails of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of suchvariations and modifications as come within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having'described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. An excavator comprising a wheeled frame; an arm pivoted at one end tosaid wheeled frame; a beam pivoted to the other end of said arm; a locklocking said beam against pivotal movement on said arm; an endlemdigging element operatively mount ed on said beam; a support carried bysaid beam; a shoe adjustably mounted on the lower end of said support;and means for adjusting said shoe onsaid supp r to move said beamvertically and swing said am on its pivotal connection with said frame,substantially as described.

2. An excavator comprising a wheeled frame; an arm pivoted at one end ofsaid frame; a beam pivoted at a point intermediate its length to theother end of said arm; an endless digging element operativel mounted onsaid beam; a connecting l' pivotally connected at one of its ends tosaid arm and' adjustably connected to the upper end of said beam at itsother end portion; supporting bars rigidly spacedfrom said beam andsubstantiallyco-extensive therewith; and a shoe adjustably mounted onthe lower end of said bars and adapted with the pivotal connectionbetween said arm and frame to support said beam, digging element, barsand arm, substantially as described. i

3. An excavator comprising a wheeled frame; a beam; an endless elementcarrying digging members mounted for travel'upon said beam; a pivotalconnection between said beamand said frame permitting of verticalmovement of said beam; *-a shoe adapted to slide in contact with thebottom of the trench cut by the excavator when operating; an adjustableconnection between said shoe and said beam; and a flexible elementconnected atone end with said shoe and having its other end connectedwith said frame forming a bight in said element adapted to adjustablysupport said beam, substantially as described.

4. An excavator comprising a wheeled frame; a beam; an endless elementcarrying digging members mounted for travel upon said beam; a pivotalconnection between said beam and said frame permitting of verticalmovement of said beam; a shoe adapted to slide in contact with thebottom of the trench cut by the excavator when operating; a bar fixed tosaid beam and extending substantially parallel therewith at the lowerportion thereof; a slidable connection' between the lower end of saidbar and said shoe permitting of relative vertical movement of said bar;and means for locking said bar against downward movement in positions ofvertical adjustment relative to said shoe, substantially as described.

5. An excavator comprising a wheeled frame; a beam; an endless elementcarrying digging members mounted for travel upon said beam; a pivotalconnection between said beam and said frame permitting of verticalmovement of said beam; a shoe adapted to slide in contact with thebottom of the trenchcut by the excavator when operating; a bar fixed tosaid beam and extending substantially parallel therewith at the. lowerend portion thereof; a slidable connectiombetween the lower end of saidbarfand said shoe permitting of relative vertical movement of said bar;and a flexibletelement connected at one end to said shoe forming" abightin :said element in which thelower endrof-said bar is supported,substantially as described? 6. An excavator comprising a vwheeled frame;a beam; an'endless element carrying digging members mounted for travelupon said .beam; a'x-pivotal connection between said beam and said framepermitting of vertical movement; of said beam; a shoe adaptedto.slide'in contact with the bottom of the trench cut by the excavator whenoperating; a bar fixed to-said beam and extending substantially paralleltherewith at the lower/end portion thereof; a slidable connectionbetween the lower end of said bar and saidi shoe permitting of relativevertical movement of -said bar; a flexible element: connected at one endto said shoe and having'its other end adjustably fastened to said frame,forming a bight in said element adjacent said shoe; a roller at thelower end of saidbar resting in said bight wherebyfisaid bar maybeelevated by drawing upon said last mentioned end of said element; androllers for guiding said element from said' first mentioned roller tosaidflframe, substantially as described.

.7. An .excavator comprising a wheeled frame; an arm arranged at therearward end of said frame having its forward end pivotally connectedwith said frame for swinging in avertical plane; a beam pivotallymounted intermediate its extremities upon-the rearward end of said arm;an endless element carrying -'digging members mounted for travel aroundthe lower end portion of said beam; means engagin with the upper endportion of said beam for releasably locking the latter in positionsofpivotal adjustment relative to said arm; a shoe-adagted, to slide incontact with the bottom of t e trench cut by the excavator whenoperating; a bar fixed to said beam and extending substantially paralleltherewith at the lower end portion thereof;'a slidable connectionbetween the lower end of said bar and said shoe fpermitting of relativevertical movement 0 said bar; and means for locking said bar againstdownward movement In positions of vertical adjustment relative to saidshoe, substantially as described.

8. An excavator comprising a wheeled frame; an arm arranged at therearward end of said frame having its forward end pivotally connectedwith said frame for swinging m a vertical plane; a beam pivotallymounted intermediate its extremities upon the rearward end of said arm;an endless element carrying digging members mounted for travel aroundthe lower end portion of said beam; means engaging with the upper endportion of said beam for releasably locking the latter in positions ofpivotal adjustment relative to said arm; a shoe adapted to slide incontact with the bottom of the trench cut by the excavator whenoperating; a bar fixed to said beam and extendingl substantiallyparallel therewith at the ower end portion thereof; a slidableconnection between the lower end of said bar and said shoe permittin ofrelative vertical movement of said ar; a flexible element connected atone end to said shoe and having its other end adjustably fastened tosaid frame, forming a bight in said element adjacent said shoe; a rollerat the lower end of said bar resting in said bight whereby said bar maybe elevated by drawing upon said last mentioned end of said element; androllers for guiding said element from said first mentioned roller tosaid frame, substantially as described.

9. An excavator comprising a wheeled frame; a motor mounted in saidframe; a drum connected for driving by said motor; a beam; an endlesselement carrying digging members mounted for travel upon said beam apivotal connection between said beam and sa1d frame permitting ofvertical movement of said beam; means for releasably locking said beamin positions of pivotal adjustment; a shoe adapted to slide in contactwith the bottom of the trench cut by the excavator when operating; anadjustable connection between said shoe and said beam permitting ofvertical movement of said beam relative to said shoe; and a flexibleelement connected at one end with said shoe and having its other endconnected with said drum forming a bight in said element for theadjustable support of said beam, substantially as described.

10. An excavator comprising a wheeled frame; a motor mounted in saidframe; a transversely extending shaft connected for driving by saidmotor; an arm having its forward end swingingly connected with saidshaft; a beam pivotally mounted upon the rearward end of said arm; anendless element carrying digging members mounted for travel uponsaid-beam; an operative connection between said shaft and said endlesselement; means for locking said beam in positions of pivotal adjustmentrelative to said arm; a shoe adapted to slide in contact with the bottomof the trench cut by the excavator when operating; an adjustable connection between said shoe and said beam permitting of vertical movement ofsaid beam relative to said shoe; and a flexible element connected at oneend with said shoe and having its other end connected with said drumformin a bight in said element for the adjusta le sup ort of said beam,substantially as descri ed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHAS. E. STAHL.

Witnesses:

JACOB B. S'rAnL, IIARLEY F. HALL.

